Centennial Baptist Church - Helena AR
Posted by: 
nomadwillie
N 34° 31.548 W 090° 35.472
15S E 721090 N 3823093
The Centennial Baptist Church was the headquarters for the National Baptist Convention, led by Dr Elias Camp Morris.
Waymark Code: WMEJXQ
Location: Arkansas, United States
Date Posted: 06/06/2012
Views: 4
The Centennial Baptist Church is located at the intersection of York and Columbia St in Helena, AR. It is an example of Gothic Revival and was built in 1905. It is in the oldest section of Helena and close to the Cherry St Historic District. The church displays typical Gothic Revival elements such as tower entries, double-hung lancet windows, buttresses and a central gable.
The Church is associated with Dr Elias Camp Morris, who served as pastor from 1879 to 1922. He devoted his life to religious, political and social acheivements of African Americans. He led the National Baptist Convention, the largest African American organization in the US at the end of the 19th century. Cenennila Baptist Church functioned as the headquarters of the National Baptist Convention. Dr Morris brought attention to the right of African Americans to establish independent religious associations. By 1900, the NBC represented over 60% of African American Baptists. Dr Morris was an African American leader during the period when the Jim Crow laws were used through out the south. These state and local laws essentially made segregation legal from the period 1876 ot 1965 under the guise of "separate but equal" practises.
The present church replaced an earlier building that the membership had outgrown. It was designed in 1905 by a member of the Morris's congregation in 1905.
Street address:
York and Columbia Sts.
Helena, AR
County / Borough / Parish: Phillips
Year listed: 1987
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Person, Architecture/Engineering
Periods of significance: 1900-1924
Historic function: Religion
Current function: Religion
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 1: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.